Telescope reticle



Patentecl Mar. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the class of optics and pertains particularly to improvements in the retioles for telescopes.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved telescope reticle having a light beam slit which presents a hairline of light in the center of the reticle post, to facilitate the sighting of the telescope.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improvecl telescope reticle having a post provlded With a vertical slit or opening through which passes light gatherecl by the lenses to form a light beam lying in the vertical center of the lenses, which may be used for accurately sighting the instrument.

Another object of the inve ntion is to provide an improved telescope reticle in which the upper end of the reticle post is provided With a narrow slot which opens through the end of the post and which terminates at the horizontal or cross hair whereby to provide a hairline of light which Intersects and is perpendicular to the transverse or horizontal cross hair at the center of the reticle, thereby providing a clearly defined center, by means of which the telescope may Ioe readily sighted or linecl up on a distant object even where light conditions are poor and under conditions where it would not be possible to make use of the customary cross hairs or other forms of reticles.

'Ihe invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that slight changes or modifications may be made in the illustrated structure so long as such changes or modifioatlons do not depart from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a reticle coustructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of a reticle constructed accordlng to the present invention, but without the lateral cross hair.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing the reference character R generally defines the reticle which, as conventionally constructed, comprises a frame in the form of a flat ring II), across the center of which is disposed a cross hair II. Thls ring II) facilitates the WOunting or installation cf the reticle in the 2 telescope structure in the usual well-known manner.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided the reticle post I2, the upper end of which terminates in the plane of the lateral cross hair II as shown.

In the longitudinal center of the post I2, is formed a narrow slot I3 of constant width, the upper end of which opens through the top end of the post and has the lateral cross hair II disposed thereacross as shown.

The light gathered by the lenses of the telescope passes through the slot or opening I3 to the eye and presents t0 the eye a narrow sharply defined line of light in place of the black line which is Seen by the eye, in the use of the customary Single cross hairs or the customary solid post with lateral cross hair. Thus the light entering the telescope, in efiect, illuminates the centering means so that the telescope can be siehted upon an object under light conclitions which would make impossible the sighting of the instrument when using any of the known conventional types of reticles.

'Ihe reticle post constructed in accordance with the present invention furnishes to the eye of the observer a beam of light which passesthrough the longitudinal Center of the telescope so that the eye is automatically drawn to the center and the sighting of the telescope is made to a certain extent, automatic.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the present invention will greatly improve the efiectiveness of telescopes or their efliciency, over telescopes uslng the customary forms of retiole.

While the slotted reticle has been illustrated in association with the lateral cross hair II, lt is to be understood that lt is within the scope of the present invention to use the slotted reticle post independently of the lateral cross hair if desired. Accordingly, it is understood that in claiming a slotted reticle post the use cf such post with or without the lateral cross hair, is intended.

Figure 3 illustrates the invention without the lateral cross hair I I, shown in Figure 1. Since the other features are the same, the same reference characters are usecl and, as above stated, the invention contemplates the use of the slotted post I2, either with or without the cross hair.

The reticle post of the present invention, being slotted, permits the observer, in sighting, to elevate the top end of the post and still see the 4 object through the Sl0t. This is impossible with the ring and terminating at its free end in the the solid reticle post ab present in use. radial center of the ring, a slot formed through I claim: the post and longitudinally thereof, the slot ex- 1. In a telescope reticle, a flat ring adapted t0 tending through the free end cf the post and be mounted in a telescope, a vertical reticle post l Hing in line with the radial center of the ring, Witl'lin and OH 13 18 radi l 0f the n anti t m atand a lateral radial cross hair extending across ing at it r nd 111 the ra nt Cf t fing. and over the top of the free end of the reticle and a slot of constant Width throughout its post, and over th d f th S1Qt, length formed through the post and.= eXtendinglomgitudinallylzhereof,v the%slot extending throu'gh s.1q DANIEL MCCALL' the free end of the post and lying in line with the radial center of the ring. REFERENCES CITED 2. In a telescope reticle, a fiat ring adapted to be mounted in a telescope, a reticle postwithin-=* the ring anal terminating at its freeend intheqy,

The:followlng references are of record in the file of this patent:

radial center of the fing, a s1ot formed through UNITED STATES PATENTS the post and longitudinally thereof, the slc' t ex== n Nme Date tending ihlough the free end of the post and 96259611 Scher June 28 1910 lying in line with the radial Center of the ring, 1,087747 Evans 17 1914 and a lateral radial cross hair intersecting said. m Apr' 18, 1939 S101." 4,483:i Forsling: June. 11, 1940 In a telescope ret1cle, a flat r1ng adapted to 2,308635 Walker: Jan. 19 1943 be mounted in a telescope, a reticle post within 2,339723- Russen 18 1944 

